***MOLDAVIAN COOKING IN FAIRBANKS!*** This restaurant reminded me of Moldova and when we used to have dinner with my friends. They are very traditional and it is amazing! They even have Moldavian wine ! Negru di Purcari was drank by the Queen of England. The service is good and efficient. The restaurant is clean and the ambiance takes you to Chisinau even if you never been there. My friends ordered a chicken dish and a salad. They both loved it! read more

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I so wanted to love this restaurant however, it let us down. Their website specifically says they will help you pair a nice Moldavian wine with your meal, but when we asked our server she said she knew nothing about wines, "sorry". Hmm. Once we selected our own I was shocked to learn you only get "5 oz" for $10? Whew. On to the food, I knew beforehand that they were a bit pricy. OK. Our meals were just....OK. I got the Cabbage rolls which some were burnt and husband got a pork dish, which he said was good. I ordered a side of their famous Polenta because I didn't want to miss out, but it came out ICE COLD. Our waitress was not attentive and there were only 3 tables occupied.... The inside was unique but we were surprised to find it in a shopping plaza??? Anyways, not sure I will be back or not, I just REALLY wanted this to be 'my place' but it won't be. read more

I think service in restaurants are just a miss in Fairbanks. On the surface, they're fairly nice but I sense a bit of hostility underneath it all. It's the weirdest thing. -mamaliga: polenta is nice and soft but nothing really special with the pork stew. It tasted better with the raw crushed garlic but I wouldn't order it again. -coltunasi cu cartofi: very gummy, delicious onions though -pelmeni: I liked it but it's nothing special. Just a meat dumpling. -salata vinegret: pass. Basically roasted beets with some potato -supa de perisoare: it's ok. Waitress called it an Italian wedding soup -icre de vinete si dovlecei: MEH. Too mushy and sweet for me. The warm flatbread was nice though. - Isabella wine: imported wine from Moldova! Intriguing! Not a fan... smelled and tasted like grape kool-aid but on the tart side. Kinda disappointed I wasted a meal here. But the ambiance was very nice! read more

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We came here for Valentines Day but around 4pm so we were able to walk in but starting at 5pm, it was booked out. There was live music starting around then and the place was decorated. The entrees each come with a soup, so we got the chicken noodle and the borscht. Both were good but I liked the chicken noodle more. I'm not the biggest fan of Eastern European food but this is one of the the best I've had. I found the cuisine generally one-note in terms of taste but the flavors of the dishes here meld well together. Mamaliga with pork: tender pork pieces with polenta and a salted fried egg that somehow complements the pork well. It was a big portion size. Piergoies: perhaps the best ones I've ever had. There was a slight cheesiness to the filling and the texture was on point. It was also quite a bit and so we had to take some home. Cherry crepes: not the biggest fan of crepes but the cherries and the cream in particular really made up for it. I could have double the amount of cream for this. Pilot Grigio: they didn't have any Moldovan Sauv Blanc left. They recommended the Pinot Grigio instead - I find this varietal generally too tasteless but this was a nice mix of slightly sweet and dry. read more

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Seeking something different in Fairbanks, we found this Maldovan restaurant inside an interesting building that housed several ethnic shops. Its cuisine was comforting on a chilly November afternoon. Mămăligă was piping hot and very good. Almost like a meticulously prepared home-cooked meal. The circular cornmeal porridge was beautiful, soft, and accompanied by abundant tender pork and scrambled egg. Three types of sauce were provided for the polenta: garlic (our favorite), sour cream, and feta. Pârjoale (one of Wednesday's special) very tasty with creamy mushrooms, pickles and some mashed potato to balance out the dish. read more

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Enjoyed the Wednesday lunch special after asking for the special menu. The food was super tasty and filling. I would definitely bookmark this spot for your Fairbanks trip! The cozy interior and friendly service really set a great vibe. The pelmeni was my favorite and was perfectly cooked. The lunch special also came with soup and the soup was so surprisingly good too. Everything was a hit there! read more

Soba - Pelmeni - Modern European Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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Am I able to give a 10? I ate here twice in a matter of days because it was so amazing! Coltunasi cu cartofi- potato pierogies with bacon, onions, and served with sour cream! It was little pillows of heaven! There were about 30 of those little suckers in there and it made for two additional meals for me, no complaints here! The melt in your mouth flavor is exceptional! The service is a bit slow, but nowadays, that's pretty typical! read more

Soba - YUM - Modern European Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

Went for a snowy Valentine's Day lunch and had such a lovely experience at Soba. The decor is beautiful and cozy, service was quick and friendly, and there are great vegetarian options. We ordered the cheese platter, a herby cheese puff pastry, dips with flatbread, and fries -- everything was delicious. The honey cake at the end was the highlight! Paired it all with wine and beer. Highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

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This was by far the best food we tried in Fairbanks. The host was super nice. This restaurant is right in downtown in a small mall area. I recommend getting the honey cake at the end! It was super light, not too sweet, and the flavors worked so well together. Like eating a fluffy honey pillow. The other foods were incredible as well and the pickled sides had a nice brine. The soups were also good as well. read more

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My husband and I took my dad to Fairbanks while visiting us in Anchorage, we stopped here after our long drive around 5:30pm. The place is located inside a little shopping area but they have a street sign out front pointing to the door to enter. This was such a cute little restaurant that very much reminded us of our time in Europe. The music, the decorations, the lighting was all perfect to complement the food! We got the pirogies, the dumplings and the pork chop and all were so incredibly good and perfectly cooked. None of us had one bad thing to say about the food. For dessert we got the cherry crepes and they were AMAZING! They weren't overly sweet and used real cherries! There was only one waitress for the entire place and it got so busy that the wait for anything, getting seated, ordering, getting food etc., was roughly a 10 min wait at least. We didn't mind at all as we had no where to be and were enjoying the place. The waitress warned everyone as they came up to the hostess podium too so we accepted it would be a while. The one waitress did such an amazing job, she was incredibly kind and kept her composure the whole time even when there were many groups who were being very rude and disrespectful toward her. I can't remember her name but the girl working the last shift on December 28 deserves a very big raise. If we lived in Fairbanks, this would for sure be our go to spot! read more

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My first time trying Moldavian cuisine and very pleasantly surprised. Very delicious, service was very good and helpful, dishes came out very fast read more

Soba - Batuta - Modern European Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

Can't say I've ever tried Moldovan cuisine before. It's located inside the Co-op Plaza. When we arrived on a Saturday evening, they had live music playing. We didn't make reservations but they were able to seat us. To start, we ordered the Plăcintă - a bread filled with cheese, dill, and green onions. So warm and comforting! The texture of the bread reminded me of that of a croissant. For the entree (comes with a soup), I got the Tocană cu Mămăligă - a vegetable stew medley that comes with polenta and three different add ons: garlic, feta cheese, and sour cream. Oh my goodness, it was super garlicky! Like overwhelmingly so. The SO got the sarmale, which were these rice and pork cabbage dumplings. We were impressed how thin the dumpling skin was; so thin that you could see the filling inside yet it remained completely intact. It came with a side of - you guessed it - sour cream. Service was fine. I think the only awkward part was that we had to hold onto our used utensils between dishes. We were so stuffed from the appetizer, soup, and entree that we unfortunately did not have room for dessert (that cherry crepe was calling my name). For a future meal, I would definitely opt for a different entree since that veggie stew medley was way too garlicky for me and save room for the dessert. Would order the Plăcintă and the sarmale again in a heartbeat! read more

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Located in the Co-Op Plaza in Downtown, Fairbanks, this restaurant is a good option for vegetarians. The vibe was relaxed, cozy and casual. The seating was comfortable. The decor was Moldovan. The menu had several options of appetizers, soups, salads and entrees. We ordered the Salata Vinegret, Tocana cu Mamaliga and the Peste Prajit. Both entres came with a cup of soup but since the soups options during this visit contained meat, we opted for a side salad. *They sell two of the four soups daily. The vegetarian option is the split pea soup. Our food arrived at our table in an acceptable amount of time, was beautifully plated and in good portion. Neither of us had ever had Moldovan food before so we were not sure what it was supposed to taste like. We added a little spice for more flavor. Service was warm and friendly. The restroom was gender neutral and for single user. It was spacious, functional and clean. Pricing was reasonable. We enjoyed our visit and were happy to experience Moldovan food for the first time. read more

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Ambiance: It's a restaurant located inside a building with other businesses. There are several wooden booth seats as well as regular wooden table tops and chairs reminiscent of an intimate, cozy restaurant, but with adequate spacing between tables. There was a guy playing light, cheerful tunes on the piano outside the restaurant. Service: It was very busy and I was one person. It took an hour and a half from seating me to receiving the check. The service is on the slower end, however they were very friendly and checked in often. It's the perfect place if you're not in a rush because the food is really good. Food: Plăcintă: a traditional Moldovan pastry filled with cheese, dill, and green onion as described on the menu. The warm pastry is flaky filled with a lightly salted, creamy cheese. I saw the green onions in the pastry, but couldn't taste the dill. Either way, it was delicious and I would get it again. Borș: a beet soup with pork and vegetables - flavorful and earthy broth like soup that was very warming. Mămăligă: The polenta was creamy, mild-flavored and dense, pairing really well with the extremely flavorful eggs (which I wish I had the palate rich enough to discern the spices because I would love to make these at home). The stewed pork fell apart in your mouth and was extremely juicy. (The other meat option is chicken.) Three sauces were brought on the side - sour cream, feta, and garlic sauce. The garlic sauce is straight up garlic puree, so take that how you will, but I dumped the whole thing in my pork with the feta and it was delicious. Cuşma lui Guguţă: The tart cherries rolled in light, fluffy crepes, covered with sweet cream and shaved chocolate was the perfect way to end the meal. I barely had the space in my stomach, but dessert was calling my name and it did not disappoint. It was not heavy and not overly sweet. Perfect end cap to any dinner. Overall, the food was worth it if you have time. read more

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Soba is a Maldivian restaurant in the heart of downtown Fairbanks. Starting with the ambiance; there are twinkle lights here and there, and touches of Maldivian culture throughout. Not too many tables, perfect lighting, beautiful jazz playing, this was a comfortable dinner for us. With all my allergies; I have to ask what can I have. The waitress has let us know that the young lady that prepares the food would know more of what to have or not to have. The young lady wasn't there and headed home but came back to the restaurant to help make sure everything was perfect. We walked through the menu and decided. My husband, son and I shared. Can't say much besides every single bite we took was bursting with flavor. We finished every single bite and I never got sick. We will definitely come back here. read more

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So happy we ate here! The atmosphere is pleasant & everyone was nice. All the food was delicious & served in a timely manner. The dumplings were the best thing! Would recommend to try when in Fairbanks. read more

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Rating: 4.5 (not the best restaurant I've ever been to but a unique, delicious adventure) Located inside the Co-Op Plaza, which we walked past the first time. Soba was our first experience with Moldovan food. We'd made reservations but the restaurant was nearly empty (6pm on a Thursday in July). HB had Moldovan Chardonnay and I ordered the Isabella wine. Our server took time to chat about Moldovan wines and the Cricova wine region, which was cool. We were grateful for the menu photos plus our server answered our questions as we pointed to dishes, settling on what you see in the photos. We enjoyed the crawfish appetizer and flatbread so much that along with soups, split pea and borş, we knew the entrees would be delicious! Ample servings yet somehow HB had room for dessert with a glass of Moldovan sweet wine! We enjoyed looking around at the Moldovan decor - wall hangings, shelves with decorations, lights - only downside on this unseasonably hot summer day was no A/C. read more

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My daughter and I stopped here during a COLD day on our girls trip. The food was delicious! I've never tried Moldovan before and this cuisine did not disappoint! I would absolutely recommend this spot! Great family small restaurant feel. The service was great and suggestions for dishes was spot on! We ordered appetizer and 2 entrees. The spot had a local brewery blonde ale that was tasty too! Wish I had more days in Fairbanks so I could sample more dishes! We had the placinta a pillow soft pasty stuffed with a soft cheese and herbs. This was absolutely Devine!!!! We chose to share all the dishes-The entrees were sarmale and mamaliga. Sarmale was the MOST DELICIOUS cabbage stuffed with seasoned rice and beef. 10000% recommended. The mamaliga is touted as the maldovan favorite. Had whipped potato with sautéed veggies and a delicious roast meat. They were served with soup as a starter. I had bors(borscht) with a terrific flavor! And seems (noodles and chicken) that was so homey and satisfying! The soups could have been meals on their own! Highly recommend this sweet spot. read more

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Hearty meals from Moldova in central Fairbanks. Dark, pleasant restaurant- decorated in a traditional style. Main meals come with nice bowl of soup as a starter. Main meals were good value and we enjoyed multiple options from the menu. Tasty food, but a little too salty. Attentive service but food took extended time to appear. read more

Special treat in Fairbanks. We had a very limited selection of restaurants on a Sunday evening and were lucky enough to come upon Soba. Our party of four's first experience with Moldovan food and we were more than satisfied. It is wonderful, filling comfort food. We tried the dumplings, pierogies, and chicken dishes and found all outstanding. Service was great and portions were large and came with a delicious soup as a starter. The setting is comfortable and relaxed. It was busy so I would recommend a reservation. read more

I stopped into Soba Restaurant recently and really enjoyed it. The place has such a quaint, cozy charm--it feels warm and welcoming the moment you walk in. I only tried the meatball soup, but it was excellent--comforting, flavorful, and clearly made with fresh ingredients. Sometimes simple dishes done well say it all. I'm already planning to go back and try a few more things on the menu. read more

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This restaurant was jam packed on a Saturday for lunch. You choose to sit wherever you like. We got an assortment of food to try like the Mamaliga, potato dumplings with sour cream, and Moldovan traditional crepes. The Mamaliga was my favorite dish, the corn meal and pork were delicious with the toppings like sour cream, cheese, and more. The potato dumplings were ok. The crepes had cheese and raisins which were also ok. The vibes of the restaurant were great. The wait took the longest time. It seemed like they were understaffed and it took a while for the staff to attend to us. read more

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We were so surprised (in the best way!) to find a Moldovan restaurant in this area -- and wow, what a cozy spot. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the service is genuinely friendly. There was only one waitress in addition to one help working during our visit, and with about four five tables seated, the service was a bit on the slow side -- but honestly, it felt more like being in someone's home than a restaurant, so we didn't mind the wait. We started with the borscht and zama soups -- both were excellent, full of rich, comforting flavor. It truly tasted like homemade food, the kind that's been passed down through generations. For mains, we had the pelmeni (dumplings) and batuta (schnitzel) -- both were absolutely delicious and satisfying. This is one of those rare places where the food feels lovingly made and truly homemade. Don't come in a rush, but definitely come in hungry. Highly recommend if you're in Fairbanks and craving something cozy, soulful, and unique. read more

Soba - Pelmeni - Modern European Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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A surprisingly affordable (especially for Alaska) hearty meal of Moldovan food in a beautifully-decorated restaurant that almost helps you forget you're in a mall in the coldest city in the United States. While it's by no means "fine dining," it's a great restaurant with excellent service and a lot of options for pickier eaters. I went with Colţunaşi cu Cartofi, potato pierogies topped with bacon and fried onions. The soup was a meatball soup, which was fine. read more

Soba - Meatball soup - Modern European Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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Wow wow wow. What a pleasant surprise! This was by far some of the best European food I've ever had. Granted I don't seek out European food often (at all), I'm glad I trusted the reviews and came here during our short trip In Fairbanks! Pelmeni (dumplings), Batuta (chicken mashed potatoes cabbage), Placinta (cheese herb pastry) and chocolate cake! read more

Soba - Modern European Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

Something a little different, hearty fare and nice. Pleasant appetizer, a good borscht, a well prepared salad and a braised beef rib dinner shared by two. Followed by a shot of really good espresso and that cherry crepe. Highly recommended like I did to the two ladies asking me if I knew a good restaurant. Yes, right here. read more

So I came in with fairly high expectations given the reviews. Unfortunately we left very disappointed. They don't take reservations but we got there at 7:25 pm on July 4th and luckily we were seated very promptly. This was probably the best thing to happen all night! We put in our order of two soups (the meatball and the beet), the vegetarian dish, and the pork chop dish. 35 minutes our soup orders arrive. They were tepid, not piping hot like a soup should be. Taste wise it was fine. A little light perhaps on flavor (needing a touch of salt) but very decent. The two entrees finally arrived 50 minutes after we were seated and it was just meh. I had the pork chops which wasn't juicy but it wasn't so poorly done to send back. It had flavor, that's all I can say about it. The grilled veggie accompaniment of bell peppers, Brussel sprouts, and asparagus was super al dente yet the potatoes were just right. The veggie dish was ok, nothing really notable and on the verge of being bland was at least hot. Our server was nice but the table next to us came at least 15 minutes after us and they got their soup orders right before us. He wasn't attentive and we had to ask for water and the check when it was obvious that we were ready to leave. Perhaps it was an off day being a holiday but I would never revisit this establishment again unless it was the only place open in Fairbanks. read more

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First meal in Fairbanks. The food was good. The service is also fabulous. They have live music in during dinner time, relax and warm.

The four of us came here for dinner at the end of a long day. The food was excellent, especially the stuffed mushrooms and Sarmale. Split pea soup, Mici and Tocana cu Mamaliga were also good. Servers were pleasant and décor was native Moldovan and eclectic. Highly recommend! read more

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Unlocked a new cuisine. I have never had the Moldovan food. It's not my thing, but I had a good time trying new things. We started with the soup. The soup was just like other vegetable soup, savory and a bit sweet. Later I got the meatball wrapped with cabbage and he got the mushroom sauce with meat. They are both ok. I think it's me not used to having them. The cabbage could hold the meat inside, so after a few balls, the whole dish is like cabbage and meat ball salad. The dessert is so interesting. I still don't know what's inside. It's sweet and sour at the same time. I still think about the desert sometimes. read more

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OH MY !!!! Just go here. The kitchen was very busy when we first got here - but soon amazed us. Totally Alaskan approved! read more

Our first Moldovan restaurant meal and it did not disappoint. Big portions of very tasty food, even my wife house vegan was very happy with the split pea soup and beet salad. Really a cute place with friendly service and great unique dishes. read more

VERY BAD PLACE TO HAVE YOUR DINNER IN ALASKA! Foods were just so so, nothing should surprise you unless you never buy sausages and fries from Costco. We've been waiting 2 and the half hours for food, and the white waitress was mean as hell. We complained about the people behind us getting their food first, and she just told us, "You've only waited 1 hour and 10 minutes." Do you think these food like fries, sausage, dumplings should take more than 1 hour and 10 minutes to prepare? (This doesn't even include the waiting time for seats because they were very slow.) I mean it doesn't make any sense you serve foods to the people behind us and just tell us "I told you we will be busy and slow unusual". And you know what, THEY PUT OUT FREAKING CHECK FIRST BEFORE GETTING OUR FOODS!! I don't know what was going on! Extremely disappointed. The other waiter was a liar. He kept saying the food was being prepared when it actually wasn't. After waiting 2 and a half hours, we asked how long it would still take for the pasta. He said he was going to bring it out because the pasta would be done in 1 minute. Then, after 5 minutes, we asked to cancel the order because it was clear our food wasn't being made for us. Shame. What a joke! I suggest you go somewhere else before you get mad on them! Don't ruin your wonderful vacation in Alaska!!! read more

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All the food we tried was amazing. We ordered placinta (pastry), supa se mazare (soup), Tocana Cu Mamaliga (vegetable stew), and Batuta (chicken with mashed potatoes). All delicious, and I'd say if we had a least favorite it would be the vegetable stew, but still tasty. I removed one star because as others have mentioned, they did seem understaffed. Only two people serving a full house. So if you're going, be prepared to be patient. read more

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The place, the food and the service three spectacular details, I loved it! First time trying this type of food and I would repeat it. read more

I never give Yelp reviews, but there was something about the waitress's attitude that just got me.. I don't know what we did to set her off but she certainly wasn't customer focused. I guess because everyone raves about the food they don't have to focus on pleasantries. Too bad we would have liked to try the food unfortunately we couldn't get the waitress to take our order beyond the cup of soup we started with. read more

This is a hidden gem in Fairbanks. We were in town for a cruise and had a day to kill in town and did some shopping and wandering. We'd found this via Yelp reviews and it lived up to every one of them. Had the Bors, placinte (pronounced plah-chint-eh), the chicken schnitzel, the potato pancakes, dumplings, and a bunch of others and there wasn't a dud in the bunch. Now we're going to be looking for Moldovan everywhere we go! read more

Every time I visit Fairbanks I must eat here at least once. Ask which soups they have that day. Try different dishes! Inside a small mall of stores. FYI very warm inside on a hot day. read more

Great food and service. They can get busy so be patient because the food will be served fresh and is worth a few extra minutes. This hidden gem is worth finding. Simple...great food is hard to find in Fairbanks. Soba is one of the best. read more

Good food unique to this area, though traditional in others. Very satisfying and healthful, far beyond "comfort food".